Victoria Azarenka’s triumph at the recent Indian Wells tournament was somewhat overshadowed, not by a rival player, but by her 8-year-old son, Leo. The young lad managed to steal the limelight from his mother, the two-time Australian Open champion, during her post-match interview. The tennis star, who has always emphasized the importance of effort in her sporting journey, had just fought a challenging match against America’s Clervie Ngounoue in the first round.
Azarenka’s performance during the match was not her best, as she won with a close scoreline of 6-4, 7-6(7). The Belarusian player hit four aces but also committed six double faults, converting only three break points out of eight. Despite her struggles in the match, her son Leo, who often accompanies her on tour, expressed satisfaction with his mother’s efforts.
Noted tennis journalist, Jose Morgado, shared a video clip of Leo, standing next to Azarenka during the post-match interview. When asked to grade his mother’s performance, Leo rated Azarenka’s performance as “3.5 minus returning the serve,” out of 4, leaving the interviewer surprised.
This victory marked Azarenka’s 159th WTA 1000 match win on hard court, surpassing Caroline Wozniacki’s record of 158 wins. Azarenka now holds the record for the most number of wins on this surface since the format was introduced in 2009.
Leo’s presence at his mother’s matches is not a new phenomenon. Even during Azarenka’s straight-set victory over Elisabetta Cocciaretto in the 2024 Charleston Open, Leo had expressed his joy at his mother’s victory. Azarenka has often spoken about the extra motivation Leo’s presence provides her during her matches.
However, there have been instances when Leo was disappointed with his mother’s victories, like after her R16 match against Madison Keys at the 2022 Guadalajara Open. Azarenka had then shared a video where Leo expressed his wish to see her, irrespective of whether she won or lost.
Since welcoming Leo into her life in December 2016, Azarenka’s priorities have taken a significant shift. She has been candid about balancing her professional commitments with her responsibilities as a mother. The tennis star has also shared that she and Leo are big fans of soccer, especially the Argentine star Lionel Messi.
Interestingly, despite being exposed to tennis from a young age, Leo’s interests lie in ice hockey and soccer. Azarenka has been supportive of her son’s interests and has been careful not to push him towards tennis. In 2022, a picture of Azarenka giving tennis lessons to Leo had been shared by the WTA’s official handle, to which Azarenka responded that those moments were ‘priceless.’
Although Leo may not be drawn to tennis, his presence at his mother’s matches and his candid remarks have certainly added a unique charm to the sport. As Azarenka continues her journey in the tennis world, her biggest fan, Leo, will undoubtedly be by her side, cheering her on.